Department of Homeland Security can search through your laptop at border crossings

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A more perfect union~!

How much do you trust the Department of Homeland Security? Like, a lot, or a lot lot? Doesn’t matter, really—it now has the right to riffle through your laptop, iPod and other electronic (and non-electronic) devices and documents when you cross a border coming into the U.S.

To Liberty!

Yes, the DHS now has the right to riffle through your junk at the border, all in the name of security, of course. What’s even more troubling—and it’s pretty damn troubling to begin with—is that the DHS can keep your stuff for as long as it wants (a “reasonable period of time,” reads the policy).

Oh, and you don’t even have to be suspected of any wrongdoing in order to have your stuff confiscated.

Several lawmakers are against the new policy, including Sen. Russell Feingold, who called the policy “truly alarming.” Indeed it is, Russ.

What exactly this means for your large collection of V0 MP3s and x264-encoded movies, who knows. Maybe you’ll luck out and they’ll only slap a gigantic fine on you. Wouldn’t surprise me.

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